Chapter 10: Ava

"And here, we have the garden." I gasped as Cade brought me to the entrance of a beautiful hedge garden, the walls filled with all kinds of colorful plants and flowers. I never knew this place had a garden! A gorgeous one at that. I walked through the first alley, grazing my hand through the lush greenery. Roses, tulips, lavenders, marguerites, and many more plants I couldn't identify. But they were still incredibly beautiful. I smiled, wonder floating in my mind. All these foreign plants and flowers tad so many different shapes and colors! And each had its unique scent, it was amazing! For an Omega who's lived in the woods all her life, this was a real jewel to see. A pang hit my chest while my thoughts drifted to my mother. She loved flowers... and she would've loved to see this garden. I sighed, holding back a few tears. "Mom would've loved to see this..." I felt a large hand lay onto my shoulder, and I jumped, instinctively flinching at the touch. Cade pulled his hand back at my reaction, wide-eyed and confused. "S-sorry... I'm not used to being... uh, touched by anyone else." He smiled and nodded. "I'll remember." I smiled back, turning my head back to the flower-covered hedge to hide my blushing cheeks. Cade was so sweet and gentle, not the brute, violent monster my mind had imagined him to be When we first met. Still, my Wolf refused to let her guard down, and all her senses were in high alert for any imminent sign of danger. What's up with that? I shook my head and returned to reality, gazing at the beautiful flowers displayed by my eyes. I sighed and stood up. Maybe it was best if I didn't stay here too long; I didn't want to break down into tears in In front of anyone. I gave a shy smile to Cade and followed his side as he continued the tour of the mansion. But my mother still lingered in the back of my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if she was okay. She must've beeb so worried when I didn't come home after the ceremony. Worry clenched at my throat, and I clutched the edge of my dress. "Do you... Do you think I'll be able to see my m-mother again? Eventually...?" Cade smiled gently, slowing down his pace. "To be honest, I don't think Jace would allow you to see her." I gazed down, a frown wrinkling my brows. "But, I can try to arrange something for you." My face instantly lit up with a smile, but I didn't dare to look up at him. I could feel my cheeks blush re,d and I'd be embarrassed if he found out. "You'd do that...? For me?" A smile lifted the corner of his lips. "I am your Betafter allll. My job is to make you happy and feel comfortable." I blushed and gazed wide-eyed. "Make me... h-happy!? L-listen, I-I've never had a boyfriend before, I-I've never— - Oh no, no! That's not what I meant." He shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "What I mean is—" he froze, eyes shifting around with an alert look on his face. I frowned. What's up with him? But as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, he placed his hand before my face, indicating that I stay silent. I held a gasp, and gazed around, wondering what could've alerted him. Then, I remembered the link and spoke through it. 'What's going—' a howl rose from a distance, and I froze in place. I recognized that howl... Rogues. Instinctively, Cade and I crouched to the ground, and I held my breath, terrified. My Wolflentd me her sense, and I immediately became hyper-aware of everything around me. I could feel every nearby presence, but for now, I only felt Cade's. He made a silent 'sh' and gestured for me to follow while we slowly advanced closer to the hedge's edge. My heart raced wildly in my chest, thumping in my temples. I was so scared, I was certain Cade or any nearby enemy could hear me. I closed my eyes and forced myself to calm down, while asking my Wolf to lend me her courage. But she was as terrified as me. Silently, Cade snuck a peek around the corner and quickly pulled back with a low growl. "Rogues." He whispered so only I could hear. He turned his large head towards me, blue eyes cold. "Stay here. I'll check if the perimeter's safe. Don't move until I come to get you." I nodded even though Every fiber in my body screamed at me to run as fast as I could. I never looked back. But I trusted Cade. He's my bodyguard now, and as far as I know, we might be surrounded by rogues, and I don't have any fighting experience except minor defence techniques in case I get assaulted from behind. I watched as he silently turned the corner and disappeared from my view, leaving me alone in the bushes. I was terrified, with nothing but my heartbeat to break the silence. I closed my eyes and focused on my surroundings, searching for Cade's presence, but he seemed out of my range. I tried to link to him, but received no response. I also had to be careful; if I didn't focus my thoughts purely on Cade, then any nearby Wolf would hear me speak over the link and would discover my location quickly. 'Behind us!' My Wolf howled, alerting me to an imposing male's presence. I held my breath as menacing footsteps passed by the other side of the hedge. "Search the area!" Barked the male, a menacing tone coloring his voice. Panic surged through my body. What do I do!? What do I do!? I couldn't simply run! They'd see me for sure. I had to find a way to sneak past them, but how!? Suddenly, a howl broke through the silence, alerting the patrolling rogues in the area. "Over there!" Barked the nearby male, as I heard him transform into his Wolf form and bolted towards the chaos. Now's my chance! Silently, I crawl past the gap, quickly gazing to the sides to see if there were any enemies nearby. When I reached the next hedge, my Wolf spoke to me. 'Transform, it'll be easier to navigate!' I hesitated. Although she was right, I didn't want to ruin Alexandra's dress! Besides my mom's saffron gown, it was the only piece of fancy clothing I had... then, I came up with an idea; I took off the dress and then carefully tied it around my waist, nothing left by my pale blue underwear to hide me. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, once again checking for any nearby presence. All clear. Clutching at the ground, I transformed into my Wolf, amber fur ripping through my underwear's soft fabric. I froze once fully transformed, afraid someone heard my clothes rip into shreds. But to my relief, no One had been alerted. Silent like a mouse, I slinked through the maze of hedges and soon found myself out of the flower garden. I gave out a sigh and quickly checked if the dress was intact. Despite a few Wolf hairs, it was perfectly fine. "Don't move." I froze.